Loose leap note book or



Aug. 6, 1929. c. w. ERARD LOOSE LEAF NOTE BOOK OR'FILE DEVICE Filed NOV. 23, 1925 Irma/r101;

Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

1,723,030 PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. GERARD, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI,

LOOSE-LEAF NOTEBOOK R FILE DEVICE.

Application filed November 23, 1925. Serial No. 70,801.

The present invention relates to loose-leaf note book or file devices, and aims to provide a novel construction having, as one of its features of improvement, a closure element for the lower end of the binder, enabling the same to be used as a loose-leaf note book, and also as a letter-fold without interfering with its other functions.

With this general object in view, the invention will now be described by reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating one form of construction which I have devised for embodying the proposed features of improvement, after which those features and combinations deemed to be novel will be particularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of a loose leaf note book or file device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same in completely open position and showing the closure element detached from one side of the binder and collapsed uponthe other side of the binder; V v

Figure 3 is a sectional detail view, showing a portion of said closure element and the form of its detachable connection with one side of the binder; 7

Figures 4: and 5 are sectional detail views, representing sections taken on the lines IV'IV and V'V, respectively, of Figure 2;

Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the binder elements employed at the top1 and bottom, respectively, 0 thebinder; an

Figure 8 is a plan view illustrating a form of loose-leaf and the character of punching employed on its binding margin.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, this illustrates the improved device as ineluding a binder 10 of leather or equivalent flexible material, this binder being supplied with a facing 11 of suitable lining material on the interior faces of the binder, if desired. The binder elements may comprise any suitable leaf attaching devices such as arch or ring segments 14, one of which is carried by a light metal plate 15 inserted beneath the lining material 11 near the top of the binder, whereas the other ring segment 14 is carried by a similar but slightly longer plate 16 likewise mounted within the lining material near the bottom of the back portion 12 of the binder, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5. The plate 16 is also formed with a suitable flange or projection 17 extending out through the lining material in substantially parallel relation to the lower ring segment 14, in position for engagement with the lower adjacent corners of the loose leaves 20, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The rear or binding margins of the leaves 20 arepunched with a pair of openings 21 for appropriate engagement with the ring segments 14; the openings are connected by slits with the adjacent margin of the leaves 20, the slits 22 from the lower openings 21 extending at substantially right angles to the rear margins of the leaves, while the slit 23 from the upper opening 21 is extended in the direction of the adjacent end margin of the leaf, the drawing illustrating the slit 23 extending obliquely toward the adjacent end of the leaf and terminating at its rear edge. This punching construction and arrangement of the slits permit the quick and convenient attachment of the leaves into ring-engaged relation, and at the same time tends to prevent the casual removal of the sheets from such position.

The flange or projection 17 serves as a stop shoulder for the lower corners of the leaves 20, and thus tends to maintain the leaves in alinement, and also cooperates with the ring segments to prevent casual detachment of the leaves 20 from the ring segments, by limiting the downward movement of the leaves, which movement obviously is necessary for disengaging the upper openings 21 from the corresponding ring segments 14. It is of course understood that the leaves 20 are sufficiently flexible to allow the material to be bent or buckled enough to bring the ring segments into the openings 21 by way of the slits 22 and 23.

To the lower ends of the sides of the binder member 10 I attach a suitable closure extensible element, the illustrated form comprising a gusset strip 26 attached at one end to the lower end of one side of the binder,

as by gluing the same thereto as indicated at 27 (Figure 1), while I prefer to detachably secure the other end of the gusset strip to the lower end of the other side of the binder, and to accomplish this I simply insert the flap end 28 of the strip 26 into a pocket 30 suitably formed by producing a slit 31 in the lining 11 at this side of the binder, as is shown in Figures 1 and 3. This construction enables the binder to be opened to a greater or less extent, as required for the ordinary use of the device as a loose-leaf note book, and p at the same time permits smaller pages, or l'eavesror cards .32 or, the.

like to be inserted between the leaves 20, and these inserted cards or leaves '82 will be retained in position, after the fashion of what are known as letter-folds or letter cases hav ing a complete closure connecting the sides lapsed upon the lower margin or the other side of the binder device, as shown in Figure 2, for thus completely opening the binder in fiat position, as upon a desk or table.

It is "thus apparent that I have devised a simple and practical device for fulfilling the various o'bjectsot'the invention. The leaves 20'are readily inserted or removed from the binder elements in the usual manner "of loose-leaf notebooks, without requirin'g any "split ring construction, and the manipulation involved in the opening of such rings, and at the same time the leaves are retained in secure position upon the ring segments, by'virtue of the arrangement of the slits 22 and 28 and the stop shoulder ele ment 17 provided adjacent thelower ring segment 14, which prevents any" casual downward shifting of the leaves :20 which would result in disengagement thereof from the ring elements.

The provision of the gusset element 26 also adds greatly to the usefulness of the device a notebook by giving it'the fun ther function of a letter fold, which is adapted to retain smaller leaves or oa'rds con taining memoranda desired to be preserved, and keeping such smaller cards or pages between the leaves 20 of the note book without interfering with the use of the dev1ce 1n any way as a loose-leaf device. Thus, such smaller cards or =sheetsa82 are retained securely and neatly in position within the bin'der'in ordinaryletter fold fashion, and

permitting various useful operations, employingthe 1nserted-- sheets 32 elther as markers, or otherwise related memoranda,

serve the right" to make such changes and V modifications as may fairly fall within the scope or the appended claims.

V7 hat I claim is: 1 V l. A lo'ose-leafbook comprising a binder provided with leaf-attaching means, and a gusset element connectingthe sides of the binder at one-endthereof. 1

2. A lOOSGlQELf book comprising a binder provided with leaf-attaching means, anda gusset element connecting the sides of the binder atone end thereof, said gusset having a detachable connection with one of the sides of the binder. v p

3. A loose-leaf notebook comprising a binder-"provided with means tor detachably securing: the leaves therein, and an extensible closure element connecting the sides'of the binder at one end thereof, said element being adapted to permit free opening and closing of the binder and forming a closure for the major-portion of the space between the binder sides at said end thereof. r

In witness whereof I hereunto "afiix my signature. 1 r

y I GHARL s w. semen. 

